Linda at the Khan al Khalil, Cairo
It is a fascinating place. We almost got lost in there.
A few months later, someone detonated a bomb right about where she is standing.
I have been going easy on myself lately, at least in the
reading line. I realize that if I am to
secure the Nobel Prize before I am 90 I must work diligently at learning
biology, but in the past month or so I have read mostly – fiction! I have re-read nearly all the Tony Hillerman
Leaphorn-Chee books, for no better reason than that there’re fun. I also read a couple of the Amelia Peabody
series of which I have written previously.
They, too, are fun. But as my
knee heals my conscience is catching up with me, so I took up a serious book: The Epigenetic Revolution, by Nessa
Carey. This book is so packed with
important facts presented in such clear and clever language, that this book,
too – is fun! I urge you all to read
it. About $15 from Amazon, or less if
you have a Kindle.
There also is an article in the NY Times that is of interest
to people following developments in
genetics and medicine. You recall some
time ago I blogged about two Japanese scientists who had succeeded in
converting fully differentiated cells (skin, liver, heart, etc.) into
pluripotent stem cells. iPS cells, they
are called. iPS cells are important
because they can be coaxed to turn into other kinds of cells that your body
might need – e.g., turn skin cells into heart muscle cells to help repair heart
attack damage. Until recently the only
available source of such plastic cells were embryos – hence, the “embryonic stem-cell”
controversy. Now, however, it appears to
be possible to push fully differentiated cells back into a pluripotent state,
then use them ON YOUR OWN BODY, thus getting around the immune rejection
problem. The Japanese scientists (who
received the Nobel for their work) did it laboriously by adding four genes to
the existing set. This new way sounds
like it will be much easier (and cheaper), involving as it does only an acid
bath. Anyway, read it yourself
‘cause I want to get back to Nessa.
This is major exciting progress!!!! It may end up being a miracle cure for some diseases. Do I smell a Nobel prize for these people?
ReplyDeleteI must actually be learning something from reading your blog. I heard a bit about this on the radio and knew of its significance.
DeleteI would put money on it.
DeleteWell, nearly a week later I am still plowing through Nessa. It has a lot of meat, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteWell, nuts and phooey! Now the PI of the report (on turning fully differentiated cells into stem cells seems to be retracting their paper. Some unspecified inconsistencies have been pointed out. Does this happen more often in m3dicine than in other branches of science? Seems so to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd, today, the Wall Street Journal tells us that Nature has retracted these articles and is re-assessing its policy on reviews and quality control. Sadly, it appears that the Japanese scientist in charge - who has close ties to Harvard - knowingly faked the result. Science simply cannot work that way; one rotten apple can spoil the entire barrel.
ReplyDelete